Mentalist Episode Tag: White Lines, 6x11
by Donnamour1969
Summary: A much-needed Jane/Lisbon conversation post-episode. Spoilers, 6x11. Humor, friendship, hint of Jisbon. Mild language.


A/N: I thought the episode was pretty entertaining. Only thing I didn't like was how there were next to no Lisbon/Jane interactions. I've attempted to rectify that here. I think I made Jane speak for the concerns of most of us here in the fandom…

**Episode Tag: "White Lines," 6x11**

"I've been meaning to tell you," said Jane from his brand new, snuggly leather couch, "congratulations, FBI Special Agent Teresa Lisbon."

At her nearby desk, Lisbon smiled, but didn't turn from her computer screen. Just like old times.

"Thanks," she said, still a little in disbelief at her new moniker.

"But it worries me a little," he said.b

"Oh?"

"Please don't allow yourself to become a by-the-book, gun-toting automaton, like say, Special Agent Dennis Abbot."

At this, she swiveled around in her chair. "Jane!" she chastised, looking to make sure no one heard his open disparagement of their boss. Unlike old times, there were no office walls around them to shield others from listening to his crap.

"I really am concerned about your falling back into long-dead habits. The last two years at the CBI, you'd just started to become more interesting."

She bristled in spite of her attempt not to let him get to her. She chose not to comment on the insult, however, and threw it back on him.

"Well, if I do, it'll be your fault. You asked for it—literally."

Jane chuckled. "True. Be careful what you wish for and all that. I think they make you check your emotions at the front door of Quantico. Thankfully, my terms allowed you to skip that step, so I suppose there's still hope."

She gritted her teeth. "What about Cho? You don't seem worried about him."

"Cho's demeanor is as dependable as the sunrise, taxes, and Old Faithful. He's thriving here, a man totally in his element. If anything, the FBI has made him even more Cho." He grinned at his own turn of phrase. "But," he added, "Cho hasn't lost his sense of humor."

"You're worried I'll lose my sense of humor?"

"Definitely. It is my greatest fear. Take Kim, for example. She's still struggling to overcome her true nature in order to mold herself into the ideal FBI agent—cold, detached, single-minded. She's having a tough time with it. I saw the real woman in South America, which is why she was so successful in pulling one over on me. That, and I was understandably out of practice."

Lisbon raised an eyebrow, still having never gotten the whole story about what went on between him and Fischer on that island.

"But that's my point exactly," he continued, disappointing her again with his lack of details. "It's unnatural, and it can also be dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Sure. Seeing things in only black and white, you miss stuff. It wasn't until you became more aware of the shades of gray that you became a better agent. Am I right?"

He was, but, looking back on the things she'd done, the laws she'd broken, the lies she'd told, the secrets she'd kept, she wasn't so sure she'd liked herself back then, better agent or no. She wasn't a good liar for a reason—she didn't think lying was right on principle.

"Despite what you think, Jane, it isn't always fun or rewarding to buck the system. Laws are here for a purpose, after all, and usually it is to protect others. It can also be dangerous when you don't follow them."

Jane looked skeptical at that, but he didn't argue the point. "These FBI types, they don't think there's ever a time when the law is wrong. No concept of civil disobedience, no ends justifying the means. It's all very boring and inside the box. That's why they wanted me though, Lisbon. They know I close cases because I think outside the box. The thing that is so ironic, is they want the results without the lengths I have to go to get them. So that's what I'm saying. Don't let them take away all the progress you've made because you're being watched more closely."

She smirked. "What should I do then, Jane? Sneak around with you and do whatever I please? You saw how well that went over. You almost got yourself killed—again."

"No one's complaining about the results, however. A wise woman once said, 'it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is permission'"

"Is this woman in prison?"

He grinned. "You're deliberately missing the point."

"I guess I am. What exactly _is_ the point of all this? And could you wrap it up please? Some of us don't have the job security blackmail brings."

"Of course you do, Lisbon. My blackmailing the FBI clearly covers you, given you were Term Number One. It's like a blackmail blanket, and you should feel quite warm and cozy beneath it."

"Ha. Well, if you piss Abbot off, I hope that blackmail blanket keeps you comfy when you land back in jail. And where will that leave me? I've got to cozy up to these people, do my best work—that's _my_ blanket."

There was a silence, as Jane lay still on his couch, eyes closed, the light from the windows pouring over him, gilding his hair.

"This isn't working out exactly as I thought it would."

"Seems to me you've gotten everything you've wanted. What are you complaining about?"

"Well," he said, opening his eyes to look at her. "We haven't really spent much time together the past few days. Sort of defeated the purpose of your pulling up stakes in Washington."

Lisbon's face instantly softened, but she couldn't let him off that easily, not after all the insults that had come before. "You were kinda busy-you know, dating murderess number—what is it now? Three?"

He chose to ignore the gibe. He knew she was covering her awkwardness at his admission with a lame attempt at humor. He swung his feet off the couch and planted his old brown shoes on the floor.

"I think I'll go to Abbot and tell him that I will only go out on cases if you're with me—"

"No, you most certainly will not, Jane. I have to work with _all _of these people, not just you. Look, I get you are feeling disoriented after being away for two years, especially since things are so different now. But I'm still the same person Jane. A little older and wiser, I hope, but I'm not going to succumb to peer pressure and become the robot you fear. Right now, I'm enjoying not having the responsibility of being the boss. I feel like the weight of the world's been lifted off my shoulders. Don't spoil it by making waves."

Her words hung in the air a moment, while Jane briefly averted his eyes, unusual for him to hesitate before speaking. Lisbon stilled, taking that moment to gaze upon that blond head she'd missed so much. It still seemed surreal that he was back in her life once more, and yet, in many ways, it was like he'd never left.

"Sometimes Lisbon, I…well, I miss the good old days. Not the search for whom we shall not name, but I miss how it felt to have it just be you and me against the world. We were truly partners then. And now…I feel like we've lost that somehow."

Lisbon had tried very carefully not to make it appear that she and Jane were romantically involved, but in that moment, she was so moved by his words that she rose and physically moved to sit by him on the couch. He seemed genuinely surprised by her action. Not since she'd given him the gift of socks in his detention suite, had she shown any overt affection toward him. Even their good-natured banter had lessened considerably. But now, she even rested a small hand on his knee.

"We _are_ partners," she said. "We're just…adjusting to our new situation, trying to find our place here, that's all. So, quit being jealous of Fischer," she said, with a small, mischievous smile. "We're just friends, I promise."

Jane grinned, relief flowing over him. He wanted to hug her, but he took to heart her admonishment on the plane weeks ago, about thinking about her feelings for a change. So he rested his warm hand atop hers and smiled into her eyes.

"Good," he said. "Now, I've been thinking we should revive a long-held CBI tradition."

"Oh?"

"Closed-case pizza. What do you say after work, we get Cho and—"

"And Fischer, and a few of the others who worked this case?"

"Lisbon—"

"Jane—"

He sighed, pouting a little. "Oh, all right. Whatever you want, Lisbon."

Her brilliant smile was worth the sacrifice of not having her all to himself.

"Now that's more like it." She got up from the couch and returned to her computer, feeling guilty for having dallied so long shooting the breeze with Jane.

"But I draw the line at inviting Abbot." He'd had to ruin it-she'd never had the last word with him in their entire acquaintance.

She smirked at her computer screen. "Why? Are you afraid he might rub off on me, pressure me into trying anchovies, or—God forbid—_feta _cheese?"

Jane stretched back out on his couch, his eyes closing once more, an expression of contentment spreading across his face. Lisbon was bantering with him and smiling—all was right with the world.

"No, those things are okay. Now if you'd decided to go with black olives, then I'd really be worried you'd gone to the dark side."

He shivered a bit at the very idea.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed this bit of fluff. Looking forward to future episodes, and the possibility of more Jisbon ahead. Are you reading this, Bruno?**

**Thanks for reading.**


End file.
